Alice, Rudy, Deia and Winston
The wonderful Alice Byrom, photographed for my ‘Creative Mothers’ project. Read her journey below.
I started my brand Blake LDN when I was 26 and had two years building it until I got married and then had my first daughter a year later. I then had two more children, a little girl, and a boy both 22 months apart. Rudy, Deia, and Winston.
Motherhood has defined me in a way I never knew possible. I suddenly felt strong and above all confident in my own skin, as if by overnight. Able to say no. To not worry about what other people think. To live our life, knowing that these three tiny human beings I have been blessed with; I am all they need.
My children have taught me to slow down and to take joy in the smaller things in life which I really needed after my twenties! I try and guard my time with them and give them my full attention they deserve. In the early days it was messy, erratic, and overwhelming but I do look back with a sense of fondness and joy.’
Being both mother and Founder has been very hard. I truly don't think you can 'have it all'. It is a balancing act. Some weeks will be centred around work if we have a launch or a store opening, others will be totally centred around my children. It is a constantly moving balancing act. My time is so limited I have to be very practical, productive and realistic on what I can achieve at work especially as I am a solo founder.
Over the years I have learnt to make peace with where I am. I never want to look back and regret missing anything, allowing myself the summers with them, dropping off at school, those small moments in the week which are special to us. And so often where life moves at such a rate those quiet days, the moments of calm, of total connection are actually all our children want. Our time.
It seems like we only celebrate the overnight success stories as if that is the only way; the correct way for women to succeed. For a lot of people, it takes a continuous amount of hard work, graft. A resilience like no other and huge amounts of sacrifice especially if you are a mother. A quote I always come back to is "Just because it is taking time, doesn't mean it is not happening" I am happier and kinder to myself knowing I am on my own path. Learning to slow down and be ok with that.
Having a creative outlet does make me a better mother. It fills me up, so I am ready to come into my role as a mother with renewed energy and focus. But I know sooner or later I will be in a new chapter. With a 7, 5 and 3-year-old this year it may even be here sooner than I think...
A little extract of my favourite piece which has helped me over the years:
"Don't let me forget their littleness. Because sometimes that littleness is what makes me wish they would just grow up faster, sleep for longer, be more independent, give me more personal space, give me some freedom and let me do what I want to do, for once.
But it is that littleness - that precious, fleeting littleness - for which I will one day ache and yearn and desperately, dearly miss. So while I have it now, let me bask in it that little longer, breathe them in that little deeper and hold on to them that little tighter, because who knows how quickly this sweet, sweet littleness will pass"
